About Dr. Erin

Each day that you trust me with your feelings and concerns is both a privilege and an honor. Being on your journey with you is not a job, it is a calling, and I'm grateful that you allow me into your world and on your journey.

As you can see, this is not my first career. My first career was as an epidemiologist, and then a Big Data Statistician. I used to take billions of records and make mathematical equations to predict human behavior, mostly for the health insurance industry, and then for a year in banking.

Having a doctorate in health behavior I never meant to end up there. So I stopped, redirected, and am grateful to be here, with you, working on your journey together.

I am well published in many issues such as HIV/AIDS, condom use, orthopedic issues, smoking cessation, etc. I also have spoken out in the national news about unfair insurance practices that affect you on a daily basis, as well as child abuse and student loans.

Culturally, I am also deeply committed to all different types of people. To make sure I am constantly learning, I visit one new country a year and have been doing so for a few decades. I also read a few hours each evening.

Please reach out! I am excited to work with YOU!

Education

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Dates: 2010 – 2012

University of Kentucky - College of Public Health: Lexington, KY

Dissertation: The association of depression on medication adherence in an HIV/AIDS population.

Master of Science (MS), Counseling

Dates: 2020-2021

Mercer: Atlanta, GA

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Member

Master of Public Health (MPH), concentration Epidemiology

Dates: 2005 – 2007

SUNY Albany - School of Public Health: Albany, NY

Thesis: Expanding Access to Sterile Syringes Through Pharmacies: Assessment of New York's Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (HIV/AIDS).

Bachelor of Science (BS), Geology dual Psychology

Dates: 2001 – 2005

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Troy, NY

Miscellaneous: Level 10 Gymnast and NOLS Graduate

Media and advocacy experience:

I was a Whistleblower for the Health Insurance Industry about how they use our healthcare data.
1. Featured on NBC’s The Today Show I spoke about Big Data issues in the health insurance industry: https://www.today.com/video/are-health-care-companies-using-private-data-to-raise-insurance-rates-1291553347634
Spoke out about protecting personal data and ethics in medicine in the Health Insurance Industry for NPR/ProPublica Investigative Report (published in 2 outlets):
1. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/07/17/629441555/health-insurers-are-vacuuming-up-details-about-you-and-it-could-raise-your-rates
2. https://www.propublica.org/article/health-insurers-are-vacuuming-up-details-about-you-and-it-could-raise-your-rates
Worked with reporter (Mr. Marshall Allen) over 10 months to direct him to where he needed to go to make sure the information was accurate and told to the public. This article went viral and was picked up by many major outlets, Representatives, and radio stations including, but not limited to (direct links, etc. not shown below can be provided upon request):
1. PBS Newshour (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/lifestyle-choices-could-raise-your-health-insurance-rates)
2. Scientific American, Kaiser Health News, Buzzfeed Tech, ACLU’s “Best Read’s” which is their email list that highlights the week in civil liberties and links to the ACLU blog, Human Rights Watch, TOR
3. Various physician groups, physicians, health providers, concerned citizens, etc.
  1. Countries: US, Australia, France, UK, Europe, Netherlands, Japan, Chile
I fought for Victims Rights against Larry Nassar, the disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor, through legal means and using my own story (copies can be provided upon request):I was in court against USA Gymnastics and worked to get other survivors apart from the MSU Case a voice. My story was published in the IndyStar, the same paper the broke the Larry Nassar abuse case:
1. https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2019/09/17/usa-gymnastics-bankruptcy-ex-gymnast-ok-press-late-larry-nassar-claim/2350513001/
2. I gave an interview with The Washington Post. In it I spoke out against the unfair billing practices of the legal teams and how it impacted survivors as well as how it compared to other similar cases such as the Catholic Church survivors:
3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/while-larry-nassar-victims-wait-lawyers-cash-in-on-usa-gymnastics-bankruptcy/2019/12/17/b782e07a-10a0-11ea-b0fc-62cc38411ebb_story.html#comments-wrapper
I spoke up against unfair student loan practices on social media using my story as an example of how our current system is broken. My tweet was used in a story in BoredPanda (copies from below story provided upon request). This story lead to outreach from up-and-coming non-profits (e.g., ZIPO) where I created video content to help drive messaging for the 2020 election cycle:
1. https://www.boredpanda.com/student-loan-debt-impossible-pay-stories/?fbclid=IwAR3Qr6KZ-5xslkmoYQ2UrBclIPjkC17J2p315kpauA9OIcYQWKa4RRokTpU&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=organic

Publications in peer-reviewed journals and posters in national and international conferences:

Kaufman EL. Attachment theory and cytokines (in progress).
Kaufman EL. Carl A. Biochemistry of Back Pain. The Open Spine Journal. 2013 Sept.; 5(1):12-18.
Rayens MK, York NL, Adkins SM, Kaufman EL, Hahn EJ. Political climate and smoke-free laws in rural Kentucky communities. Policy Polit Nurs Pract. 2012 May;13(2):90-7.
Sanders SA, Yarber WL, Kaufman EL, Crosby RA, Grahm CA, Milhausen RR. Condom use errors and problems: A global view. Sexual Health. 2011;9(1):81-95.
Carl, A, Kaufman E, Lawrence, J. Complications in spinal deformity surgery issues unrelated directly to intraoperative technical skills. Spine. 2010; 35(25):2215-23.
Kaufman EL. Mu-metal magnetic shield box to improve the day-to-day quality of life for vagus nerve stimulator patients. Epilepsy and Behavior. 2009;14(2):432.
Mercaitis O, Dropkin B, Kaufman EL, Carl A. Epidural Granuloma Arising From Epidural Catheter Placement: Case Report and Literature Review. Orthopedics. 2009;32(4):293.
Parisi DM, Battles HB, Tersoriero, JM, Kaufman E. Annotated Bibliography: Reproductive health care needs and experiences of HIV-Infected women. New York: Department of Health, 2008. Print.
Tesoriero JM, Battles HB, Klein SJ, Kaufman E, Birkhead GS. Expanding Access to Sterile Syringes Through Pharmacies: Assessment of New York's Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. 2009;49(3):407-16.
Rosenberg ES, Kaufman EL, Khosropour CM, Sullivan PS. To what extent is serosorting intentional among MSM in the United States? 2011 National HIV Prevention Conference.
Rayens MK, York NL, Adkins SM, Kaufman EL, Hahn EJ. Political climate and smoke-free laws in rural Kentucky communities. 2010 138st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Bellapianta JM, Kaufman E, Conroy M, Lisella J, Czajka J, Uhl R. A Prospective Evaluation of Injection Techniques for the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis. 2009 AAOS.
Roberts J, Ferrara JM, Hospodar PP, Kaufman E, Uhl R. Comparison of Computer Monitors in Evaluating Digital Radiographs for the Diagnosis of Fractures. 2009 AAOS.
Parisi D, Brandt N, Tesoriero J, Rowe K, Kaufman E. Current and Former Injectors Talk About Hepatitis. 2007 HIV Prevention Conference.